We are often asked to advise on which mattresses are suitable for people with bad or painful backs. There is a long held view that a firm mattress is the best for a bad back, but is this actually true? What kind of mattress should you look for it you have a bad back? One that is supportive and comfortable it turns out!
One statement that seems to haunt us is “my chiropractor told me to look for an orthopedic or firm mattress to help my bad back“. We have investigated this to find out why certain Chiropractors recommend firm beds. The response has been that firmness is thought to help support the body. This is where the confusion starts; firmness and support are two different things! All quality mattresses should offer you suitable support for your weight and height. The firmness is the perceived tension or comfort of the mattress by the sleeper.
This advice also completely fails to mention is body-weight and height which are essential to working out the support needed. You need to choose a mattress specifically suitable for you; by matching your weight, height and comfort preferences to potential mattresses.
Latex however is the most progressive of mattress materials. People with bad backs tell us they want a mattress that contours to them whilst giving support and latex is fantastic at this. Latex mattresses also have a incredible rebound rate unlike memory foam so return to their original position almost immediately when you turn over. Our latex range are all suitable for people looking for relief from bad backs, hips, aches and pains. Please speak to us for further guidance.
Each person will have a different preferred tension of a mattress, some like it soft some firmer. What’s essential is that there is adequate support for your weight. That the springs are not so firm that your bodyweight doesn’t even utilise them, or that the springs are so soft that they compress too quickly. It’s a fine balancing act which is where we come in to help guide you based on our mattress design experience.
If we can tell you anything it is to forget the firm / orthopedic advice when it comes to bad backs, because this old wives tale may end up making your sleep experience worse!
We have dug a bit deeper to help you find some useful advice. The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has published advice on bed buying which is much more suitable than the ‘firm orthopedic bed’ mattress guidance. It mirrors the advice that we have provided for years, that a mattress for any back ailment should be ‘supportive and comfortable‘ for the sleeper. It asks you to take into consideration your preference and any additional sleepers you share your bed with. Advising that a zip and link dual tension mattress may be suitable to enable both sleepers get a mattress that matches their preference.
The BCP Mattress Buying advice is as follows:
- Choose a mattress that offers you support based on your weight
- Spine should be in alignment when you’re lying on the mattress – ie no spine sagging (potentially too soft a mattress) or bowing (potentially too firm a mattress)
- A pillow should be an extension of the spine alignment allowing the neck to be in line with the spine
- Always shop with any partner you share the bed with, considering a split tension mattress if need be such as a zip and link.
- Take your time lying for as long as you can on a mattress if you’re trying one in a shop
That said we must also advise that there is sometimes no miracle cure for a bad back, achy hip or shoulder. What you can do is choose a bed that will do its best to support and reduce this. Any advice that a good bed will completely fix your bad back is a lie, that said many of our customers have responded that our advice has improved their comfort and quality of sleep.
Lisa
Hi, where to start? I need a new mattress (and bed) and have started to research the market then I discovered your site which is extremely impressive. The new mattress I purchase will be the 4th in just over 3 years, I really need to get this right this time and would very much appreciate your advice. First and foremost, I have a bad back, this is my priority and I’m looking for suitable support. The mattress I have at the moment is very firm (pocket springs and some sort of inbuilt topper which doesn’t soften anything) and on a metal bed frame that has metal bars as support (a few people have told me that these metal bars probably make the mattress feel even firmer). I thought I was doing the right thing by purchasing a firm mattress to help my back (my backs a bit weak and once or twice a year it lets me know about it and I go to my Osteopath for an MOT). However, since I’ve had this firm mattress I’ve pretty much had a continuous bad back and had several trips to my Osteopath and been to Physiotherapy several times. For a while I just thought my back was getting worse (I’m 35 so shouldn’t really be this bad) and was probably due to work, but I have a strong feeling it is the mattress, please help…
my credentials that you require:
– I’m 5’6 and fluctuate between 11-12 stone, currently just passed mid way
– my partner is 5’4 and fluctuates between 13-14 stone (nearly 14 at present)
– will both be looking at getting to the lighter side of our weights in the new year
– I can get quite hot in the night but that doesn’t bother me that much, doesn’t wake me, partner feels cold much more but can also get a bit hot at times (moves around a lot)
– we both mainly sleep on our sides but sometimes sleep on our backs
– I want king size (currently double)
– I’m looking for something that is going to last and be an investment
– absolutely do not want firm, neither does my partner, but must provide ideal support for my back. Equally I do not want something that is going to start to feel quite soft over time as I think this will also be no good for my back
– we want something nice and comfortable and Cosy when you get in, this is important. I want to look forward to going to bed, I currently avoid it, stay up late, and never lie in on a day off because it just makes my back worse
And the trickiest fact, I don’t know what type of mattress I want. My partner does not mind as long as it’s not firm and is comfortable, I think it would be fair to say we are both looking for a softish feel but supportive. When I started this quest I thought that if I spent a lot of money and purchased a Tempur mattress that this is the best solution for my back. We have tried them out in the show rooms and liked the Tempur Sensation 22 (which they say is made to feel a bit more like a normal mattress), my partner didn’t like the Tempur Original 22, said felt a bit too firm, the Tempur Cloud was ok but not as nice as the Sensation. I note that you do not compare your memory foams to the Sensation, however, I am intrigued about all of your contemporary mattresses including the hybrids and latex. I’m assuming that latex is superior to memory foams based on the lengths of the guarantees you offer? I had a memory foam mattress for a while when I first moved into my house as a quick fix short term solution, it was cheap and came in a bag, it was actually ok until it suddenly lost all of its support after about 12 months, this gave us both bad backs and we had to very quickly get a new mattress.
All that said, would a traditional pocket spring suit my needs from your other collections? I’m not against pocket springs I just want to get a real good mattress for my back (and hopefully see a bit of improvement) and experience that really nice comfort feel. It may be worth noting that I’m not very comfortable with having to flip the mattress over, this is a struggle, will do it but would rather not, I don’t mind turning the mattress 180 though.
As for the bed, to be honest I’ve never liked divans, I prefer the bedstead look for which you can get something aesthetically pleasing, however, I appreciate that this may not be the best option for the life span of the mattress. Are there any types of other frames you would recommend? And finally, as for budget, when all this started I thought I did not want to go higher than £1k for the mattress and that should be plenty to get me what I need. Then I saw the Tempur prices and was shocked but still had it as a consideration due to the interest free credit the stores offer (and the wishful thinking that it is the best possible thing to improve my back). I would rather not go over around the £1k mark much for the mattress but I do not want to compromise a potentially ideal mattress for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds so I’m am a little flexible, but I don’t really want to be going over £1.5 with divan. That said, obviously if I could get something a bit below the £1k that would still suit all my needs this would be great but I am looking for a long term solution.
I look forward to hearing from you (sorry the email is so long),
Kindest regards,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
We’re really sorry to hear of your struggle with your mattresses over the past 3 years. Thanks for all the detail by the way its really useful to help in assisting you.
You’ve encountered a really common mattress problem. That of the bad ‘bad back’ advice to choose a firm mattress. This is now agreed to be probably the most useless advice when choosing a mattress. For a bad back you need a mix of comfort and support based on your bodyweight. This advice about firm, firm, firm is completely wrong. I would never advise a firm mattress for your weights and back issue.
Based on your back issues I’d recommend you start by looking at our Fusion Latex Mattress range in a medium tension based on your weights. This is because latex is incredibly progressive allowing it to counter to you, without the spongy feel of memory foam that some people dislike. It allows you to get into the most neutral sleeping position for any back problems. It then provides the support you require, its really quite advanced in the way it behaves. The medium at your weight will allow a soft sink followed by enough support to hold you comfortably. Whilst we can’t, and never will, guarantee to fix a bad back, following this kind of advice will at least lead you to a more suitable mattress.
Given its one consistent piece of latex theres less that can go wrong with the mattress and consequently Latex is one of the most durable mattress materials you can get. Its far better than memory foam, doesn’t suffer from the quick degrade problems that memory foam has and is also less heat retentive. It will still be warmer than say a natural pocket sprung mattress but will give you far better progressive comfort for your back. It also comes with a separate topper which is also two sided. We advise you turn and rotate both parts monthly for the first year then slightly less frequently after that. Some people who struggle may just turn the topper one month and the core the next.
As for bases, you can go for a more aesthetic base but if its slatted you will need to board over the slats if going with latex. This is because over time the latex is so good at moulding it can conform to the gaps between the slats if they are far apart and cause the lumps to appear. Boarding a mattress base is easy and theres an article here on it. If not a divan is the easiest and more robust option to ensure the mattress has the consistent surface it needs.
If you have any further questions please give us a call Lisa. – Lee
Thank you so much for your speedy and comprehensive reply. I think I’m quite happy to opt for the Fusion 3 100% latex – medium. I forgot to mention in my last email that we both have allergies too so this mattress seems like a good solution in every aspect.
I have just called your office, didn’t realise it was not open on a weekend, I’m rather eager to order because I’m going on holiday on the 14th Dec and it would be fantastic to receive the mattress and bed before then. What is the best way to order, over the telephone or online?
Just a few more questions if that’s ok, just so I can start planning things:
– is the standard divan fine for this mattress or would the spring based one that you offer be better?
– is the divan the nice white quilted one from the website, and what is the depth?
– ideally how often should the mattress and topper be turned/rotated, would you do both at the same time?
– can the topper easily be replaced down the line if needed?
– and finally, can I buy a standard king size headboard to attach to this divan?
Kindest regards, Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your further email, I’ll list the answers to make it easier for you to tick them off!
You could use a sprung divan, such as the Artisan divan bases we sell. This will slightly soften the over all feel of the mattress. It depends on whether you like this sensation, for most the platform divan is more than sufficient. The sprung edge divans are more complex in their construction and therefore more expensive, but not necessarily needed for a solid core latex mattress like the fusion.
The size of the bases are 12″ depth plus 2″ for chrome glides or casters with an overall height of 14″. You can have it in a white quilt or one of the fabric colour choices, link below.
Ideally you should flip and rotate your mattress every month, at least for the first year. This minimises any initial settlement and gets the most lifespan out of your mattress. You can choose to do this less frequently but if you do experience settlement issues it maybe down to this. Our guarantee is on following the maintenance. I sometimes advise people to turn and rotate the topper one month then the core the next to reduced the physical exertion needed!
Yes a replacement topper can be ordered at any time Lisa to replace the top layer. We have separated them for this very reason should you damage them or need to replace them rather than the entire bed.
Yes you can choose any of our headboards to go with this divan and they can be seen here.
The fabric choices for the base and the headboard can be found here.
I hope that helps, any questions just call us on 0161 945 3757. If you want to order please email us and I’ll set up a special order with all the components you need in one shop option. I’ll need to know whether its a platform top or sprung edge base, the fabric colour and headboard option. It maybe easier to speak to us if you need. -Lee
John C
Hi
Thank you for such an informative website, I contacted you guys a few months ago regarding advice and am now ready to make my purchase, please may you advise on the following, I am 17st, 6ft 4 and my wife is 11st, I am former military and suffered a life changing back injury and as a result currently wake up through the night to move around to relieve the pain, my understanding is that memory foam will be my best bet, your cool blue mattresses look ideal, which model would you suggest given our different weights? I am willing to pay as much as it takes to ensure i get the correct mattress, we are also purchasing a new bed frame and would consider a super king zip and link, what are your thoughts on a bed frame with a slated base? is it better to have a solid divan base with a hybrid mattress? also do you think latex would be option for us? sorry for all the questions in advance, just want to get it right.
Thanks again for a cracking website.
Hi John, Thanks for getting in touch. If I may I’m going to break down your query into separate points to help me simplify the advice and keep it as clear as possible!
Firstly you’re in the right place looking at contemporary foam mattresses if you need pressure relief and want a mattress that will better cradle you during the night to save you needing to move to frequently. Also you may need to consider a mattress that will allow you to move quickly if you do need to, so I’d move away from memory foam as the sink often makes it difficult to adjust quickly. Its so slow to respond that people often criticise it for that reason. Coolblue is much better than memory foam and is faster to respond but no were near as quick as Latex.
Given your weights you need something that can accommodate you both responsively which again would make latex the best material. Whilst a hybrid foam is fast to respond it has its limitations when it comes to weight variance. Latex is far more forgiving with a greater weight tolerance.
Slatted based are fine providing you part board them form latex and foams. If not over time the foams can conform to the gaps leaving indents or humps. We have a guide here on that.
A solid divan is also fine it really is personal preference. My advice would be a solid divan is more consistent for a mattress.
As for zip and links; contemporary mattresses don’t usually come in zip and link sets. This is because they come covered usually in a stretch fabric and the way they move and flex makes it difficult to cover them in a strong enough cover to allow a zip and link without negatively impacting the feel of the mattress. What we can do is put two singles together with a one piece matching topper if access is an issue.
Lastly I think given your situation and requirements a solid for latex mattress would be most suitable. It will accommodate both your weights and allow for progressive comfort and fast response rates. The Fusion 3 would be ideal unless you wanted a firmer mattress, but I wouldn’t recommend this for your partner. if you did the two singles route you could say have a firm, still maybe too firm, and she could have a medium.
Any more questions please give me a call. – Lee
Val
Good afternoon,
I have spent a long time on your website reading about mattresses.
We purchased in August a Rest assured Eloquence Extra Firm. I am in agony every morning and unable to sleep in it at all. I had a disc removed from my back a few years ago which has caused mild arthritis in lower back.
I have been sleeping on a bed in the spare room which is a dunlopillow “The pocket latex collection” 1200 pocket sprung with Talalay latex ( it’s an old mattress )
My back is so much better after a night on this that we are going to have replace our new kingsize Rest Assured with something similar. Do you have anything in a kingsize which is similar to the Dunlopillow? Or even something which you would consider better? I weigh about 12stone and my Husband is about the same.
Kind Regards,
Val
Hi Val, I’m sorry to hear your in such pain with your mattress. A number of retailers follow the antiquated rule that a bad back requires firm support which is completely incorrect. The British Chiropractors association have even confirmed that firm does not necessarily mean better. What you need is the right level of support for your weight and comfort; something that orthopaedic mattresses completely miss.
Given the firmness of your mattress and your weights I wouldn’t recommend a topper. Simply as it wouldn’t soften the mattress enough to make any real difference. Unfortunately it sounds like the mattress you have is just fundamentally wrong.
We do have a range of natural latex mattresses which would be far more suitable for you. At 12 stone I’d recommend you look at our medium solid core latex mattresses such as the fusion 3. These will allow you to sink in before providing support, they also rebound really quickly meaning you can move without having to wait for the mattress to spring back. These are fully turnable and come with a matching topper further increasing the comfort layer.
Any further questions please give us a call. – Lee
Katie Roffe
Hi, I have fibromyalgia and sleep in a kingsize alone as I need room to move around. I have been suffering with my current mattress in the last year or so as it has two large dips where my husband and I used to sleep together. I love a soft, “sinking feeling” mattress as comfort is hard to find when you have chronic pain so I like a bit of a luxury feel to my bed. Budget is not huge, but I am happy to find enough money for a “dream” mattress, so please can you suggest the cheapest mattress that meets my requirements. I weigh around 14 1/2 stone. Please help!!
Hi Katie, If you love a soft sinking feeling then we have the Hybrid 1 which is our softest mattress whilst being supportive. It would be soft for your weight. If you want a luxury feel then the Fusion 1 medium latex mattress will have a soft top feel before medium support which would suit your weight also. The prices are listed on the site under each option but that gives you two budget options. The Hybrid 1 is softer than the fusion it depends on how deep a sink you want. Any problems or further questions please give us a call. Lee
Dawn
Hi I am looking to buy a kingsize mattress, not sure which one would be good for me, I have a prolapse spine, I weigh 11 & half stone. I have £550 to spend. You was recommended by a family member. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks Dawn
Hi Dawn, For the criteria you have you need a mattress that is supportive but offers enough comfort/pressure relief to allow your spine to rest in its own position. Budget aside the best type of mattress for injuries and pressure relief of this sort would be a latex mattress. They are breathable, incredibly progressive and can contour to your body far better than any other mattress material. That said they are nearly twice your budget full price. Have a look at our fusion range for an idea of what they can offer compared to a traditional mattress. We also have some video guides on them here.
For your budget I’d be probably recommending either the Origins Pocket 1500 which is a traditional mattress or one of our online outlet models which offer discounts as they are returned but non-defective mattresses. It would be easier if you could give us a call when convenient and one of our team can assist in providing more detail and help.
Many thanks Dawn – Lee
James
Hi,
It seems from the reviews etc online you are the people to come to for quality at a good price!
My wife and I over the last few years have gone through several mattresses and are completely fed up wit it all!
My wife has health issues and has been told by her PT that she needs a mattress with pressure relief, now, in the past we have had a couple of memory foam mattresses and whilst they have been comfortable, they have lost there shape quite quickly, resulting in dips that stay and don’t bounce back where we sleep, my wife can spend extended hours in bed due to her problems so the mattress needs to accommodate that.
Our latest mattress was a ‘Harly Designer Visco-Tex Mattress’ which whilst reasonably comfortable it has not even lasted six months, however, the supplying company have agreed to take it back for a refund as it has failed miserably compared to what we thought and hoped it would do!
So, this has bought us back to looking for a mattress! We were thinking that maybe a mix of pocket spring and foam would be better? That way the spring will give proper support and the foam would provide the comfort? After looking in the local bed shop we need something that has support right up to edge, so when my wife is getting in and out of bed the side edges don’t dip too much.
I am around 15st and my wife around 13st, so needs to be able to support those weights.
What can you offer etc please?
Unfortunately its not a unlimited budget, and we were looking in the £500-£700 range, but mattress only as we have a divan still.
Hi James, Thanks for getting in touch. Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your current mattress, the good news is that you’ve been offered a refund on the Harly Designer Visco-Tex Mattress which is memory foam on reflex mattress.
I’d ideally need to know what tension of mattress you’re looking for, for your body weights I’d be recommending a medium but everyones preference is slightly different. At 15 stone your near the cusp of a firm mattress so we would really need a few more details!
I’m assuming its a memory or Hybrid foam mattress you prefer. Unfortunately you rarely get a firm perimeter support on a foam mattress, where you do its because they add reflex firm foam round the edge which then leads to issues over compression and potential dips and bumps.
If you really want a firmer edged bed then I’d recommend looking at the traditional mattress, though the pressure relief aspect will be somewhat reduced. Herein lies the problem I’m afraid.
The recommendations I’d give as a starter are either the Hybrid 5 which is the Tempur sensation comparator and a medium firm, probably medium for you and slightly firmer for your wife or the Fusion zero, which is firmer still. Neither will have firm edges but the fusion zero will be firmer overall and has a pocket sprung unit.
If you want to give us a call 0161 945 3757 to discuss I’m sure we can provide a closer recommendation. Lee
Comment Submitted Via Email
Hi, I’m 5’5″ weigh 8.5st, have M.E, fibromyalgia and hyper mobile back hips and legs, I spend an awful most of my day in bed. My current mattress is a cheap old memory foam that hasn’t any support, is super soft and has sunk. I lay on my front. back and side, get quite warm in bed and most recently have been waking up with back pain caused by my awful mattress. My maximum budget is around £800. If really appreciate your help and advice.
Firstly I’m sorry to hear you are in such discomfort it sounds like your memory foam mattress has sadly come to the end of its life. I take it you used to like the sensation of memory foam before it got too soft and warm, so I’ll base my advice on this.
Unfortunately a mattress will never cure or completely remove any symptoms you maybe suffering from, theres a few dubious companies that claim this but we are not one of them. Right thats the bad bit out the way, what we can do is provide advice on the best bed to help minimise issues and increase comfort. A suitable mattress can however greatly improve your comfort.
You’re only very slight in weight but due to the amount of time you spend in bed would recommend a medium mattress. This will provide the support you need with some deep comfort layers to help relieve the pressure. Whilst the hybrid range contains some excellent choices to help with comfort and pressure relief, I believe that given the amount of time you spend in bed a more robust solution is required. Latex is the most durable and resilient of contemporary mattress foams.
I would recommend you look at the Fusion 1 Solid Core Natural Latex mattress. This is excellent at progressive comfort and support. It is £820 for a double delivered. It will allow you to sink in but unlike memory foam won’t form a crater that you have to climb or struggle out of. Its also fully turnable increasing the longevity of your mattress and giving you more sides to use. Latex is breathable so won’t retain as much heat as memory foam. It has a similar feel to memory foam but is a bit more bouncy and supportive. As i mentioned before its got a much faster response rate if you do need to move around. We have some video guides to latex here to show you the difference between latex and Memory foam.
If you have any other questions please get back in touch – Lee
John
Hi,
I’ve been researching mattresses over the last few weeks when I came across your website. I found it very informative & it has answered a lot of questions for me. However there are still a few things I would like to know.
I am severely disabled to the extent that I can no longer turn myself in bed. I currently share a double pocketed sprung bed with my wife. As I’m unable to turn myself & my wife has to turn me, it has now got to the point where I require just over half the bed. This is the reason for the research as we would like to upsize to a King size.
The pocketed sprung mattress we currently have does cause a small amount of pain & discomfort but I am not sure whether this is due to the mattress, my disability or the restricted sleeping area.
With regards to a new mattress I definitely do not want a memory foam one because I do get hot at night & from everything I’ve read about memory foam it wouldn’t be suitable for me. However the natural latex mattress is a possibility.
Looking at the fusion range, which would you recommended as my wife is 9st & I’m approx. 16st (This is a guess as I’ve been unable to weigh myself for years)? Would a different topper compensate for the weight difference?
When I’m turned from my back onto my side will the mattress regain its original form quickly or am I likely to be trying to stop myself from rolling back into a hollow?
On the Fusion range the topper is detachable, how is it attached? How often would you recommend turning these mattresses?
I look forward to your reply.
Hi John, Thanks for getting in touch and sorry that your in some discomfort with your current mattress. It’s really difficult when it comes to pain and sleep because whilst a good high quality mattress can aid a good nights sleep, there is never any guarantee it will fix any medical or back issues. We’re always really transparent that a good mattress is the best option but not a guarantee to removing pain.
The difficulty you are going to find is the difference in weight, no one mattress will easily accommodate you both I’m afraid so you will need to look for either a split tension or a zip and link mattress.
Latex is incredibly responsive and does return to its original shape very quickly, I can’t give a guarantee or assurance in your specific case because I can only tell you what the material does and not how each person lying on it will react etc. I’m sure you can appreciate, I have however recorded a video showing the response rates of foam to give you an idea and these can be seen here.
The topper is separate and not attached, this is so you can use both sides and turn them. They are quite heavy so a fitted sheet easily holds them in place with minimal movement or adjustment required. We always recommend turning you mattress and rotating it monthly to ensure the maximum life span of your mattress. If you have any further questions please get in touch John.
Maureen
HI LOOKINR A MATTREES MYSLEF N HUSBAND ARE 12STONE AND SPENT SO MUCH MONEY IN SHOW ROOMS ON MATREES L TYPES AND EVERY TIME WE GET IT IT EITHER TO HARD OR WE FEEL THE SPRING OR WE SINK IN TO MUCH FEEL SPRING IM 5FT1 MY HUSBAND IS 5, 10 I LIKE SOFT OR COMFORT MATTRESS BUT WHEN GET MATTRES WRONG ONES I WAKE UP WITH BAD BACK AND FEEL LIKE BRUISED LEGS ACHING ALL OVER WE BOUGHT 5 MATTRESS IN 6 MONTH ALL GIVEN WAY AS SHOP WOULDNT DO NOITHING SAID COS SLEPT IN CAN HAVE REFUND OR EXCHANGE U ARE MY LAST HOPE PLS IF CAN ME IF CAN EMAIL PLS
Hi Maureen, Sorry to hear you are struggling in finding a suitable mattress. It seems like you’ve been going from extremes, either firm or far too soft.
For your weight it sounds like you would be better trying a medium mattress with a deep comfort layer, such as maybe the Hybrid 7. I could really do with finding out which 5 mattresses you have tried to see exactly what the problem could be. If you could let us know we can help you further, alternatively please give us a call direct. Lee